Embracing the Seven
by theHawkandtheFlame
Summary: I'm actually developing as I go...so I can't give you a good summary to how this will end up. Sorry!
1. Chapter 1

I guess I would say my life came from obscure beginnings.

No, no. I'm not some long lost son of an infamous criminal here to seek revenge. I'm not a child that's been fused with something terrible yet powerful at the same time-as such a philosopher stone.

However, I would argue to say my life still started as obscure. It had to be, especially when you're the "adopted" daughter of the Fuhrer. But I wasn't really adopted at all. My father is my blood father through and through. His ability to wield the flame coursed through me ever since I was born. In fact, I even inherited his dark eyes and his pitch black hair. It had always amazed me how easily the people of Amestris actually believed I was a poor child that he had found abandoned on the street during his many ventures away from the piling paperwork on his desk and with the goodness of his heart had decided to raise me as I had no family to go to.

I enjoyed hitting his buttons by claiming without me, his popularity would've never risen so high. It was true though. The people of Amestris admired him more after he came back with a bundle in his arms. It proved of his kind heart and his ideal to recognize every single individual and wanting to help each and every one, even if he couldn't.

And here you are, already knowing the big secret of the family. I am actually the Flame Alchemist's daughter, not a stranger saved by his tender soul (Oh God, I can't believe I actually wrote tender. If he ever reads this, he's going to throw a fit). My mother is his ever loyal general. Some know her as his babysitter. Others know her simply as his subordinate. But those close to him know her as Riza Hawkeye or Lieutenant, despite her shedding that military title a long while back.

And I got to say my parents made quite a mess for themselves. My mom getting pregnant was one thing, but hiding the pregnancy was a whole different ordeal. After trashing at least twenty different stories as to why the famed General Hawkeye was suddenly out of the military temporarily, they finally settled with the simplest story of them all. (They were all Father's crazy stories too. I don't blame my mother for smacking him on the head when he suggested a fake story about a heartbreak with a man who had actually been involved with another woman) In a town of disorder and small frequent uprisings, Hawkeye was severely injured and discharged temporarily so her wounds would heal. Stole away by her friend, Rebecca, she stayed comfortably waiting for my arrival.

On June 24, Elsa Phoenix Mustange came into the world. Stop giving me these weird looks; OBVIOUSLY I don't remember that exact moment I opened my eyes. I'm just trying to give an introduction here!

Ah, what the heck? This is boring as hell. There's no story, no conflict in the introduction. It's just like how Father started out as a simpleton boy who loved the flames and wanted to create them with his own ability, not with rocks or a stick. Still, I have to make myself clear.

I am the true daughter of the Fuhrer, a bit of a princess of Amestris. And I am here to tell you about the time when seven Homunculi had risen from the dead. Again.


	2. Chapter 2

I would love to start off this story by saying it had been an ordinary day when something weird occurred. But honestly, it wasn't an ordinary day the moment I went down into the kitchen. The strange lady Father had brought home from his date the previous night had actually stayed over and was getting ready to leave, grabbing her purse. "Hello, Elsa," she greeted, quickly smacking on her lipstick.

I watched her, interested by the fact that Father had actually invited her to stay the night. It is not uncommon to see other ladies in the house. Father has a reputation to keep after all as a womanizer seeing that he still is single to the majority of the population. However, he never let them stay long so for this one to actually have slept over...

"I'm going to leave soon. Roy!" she called with her singsong voice, "I look forward to hearing from you more!" Quickly, she slipped out of the door, away from our solitude house.

Father walked out of his room, rubbing his mussed hair, his eyes half awake. I watched him make his way to the refrigerator with the speed of an old man. "Interesting night?" I asked, leaning back in my chair in front of the toaster I had placed my bread in.

"It was ok," he murmured.

His eyes blinked as he scanned our limited food. I sighed, leaning forward to grab the toast that had popped up. "Mom not coming to visit this week?"

He sat down silently, holding a lone bread in his hand. I was ok with Father bringing the women home. It was something I and my mom understood he must do. Still, as I watched him at night by the desk working alone in this huge empty house of the Fuhrer, I knew he was lonely. What company could he find in a child still learning the basics? So I looked forward to my mom's visits to provide him with the company he deserved. Not the men who come crowding around every once in a while in hopes of pleasing him so their ranks could go higher (which is seriously a big mistake. They're never going to learn Father became Fuhrer so bribing men wouldn't become those with power). Or the young women who are here to take a shot at the Fuhrer himself. Or the young alchemists who come to learn his ways, only to be turned down every single time. "Your mother is very busy this week I'm afraid," he flashed his morning smile (his white teeth seriously reflecting too much light into my eyes).

"Does that mean _I _have to make sure you finish your paperwork?" I grumbled.

"You know I actually will do the paperwork when I have the time."

"The time!? You're terrible with organizing your schedule! You always end up burning your books in frustration you useless leader!"

Boy, he hates being called useless. He squinted his eyes at me, frustrated, before standing up again. "There actually _is _an event today that'll prevent me from doing the paperwork until much later actually."

I blinked at his serious tone. "Event...?"

"The State Alchemist exam. It's time for me to choose the next Alchemist to join."

Holy shit! That was the one thing I've always looked forward to ever since I began studying alchemy. I leapt off of my chair, trying to prevent my bubbling excitement from exploding like the flames Father loves to use. "Aw man, this is going to be great! Maybe we'll FINALLY get a woman state alchemist. I mean, last year's was impressive but it wasn't something like you or the famed Fullmetal Alchemist. This year, maybe we'll see some REAL impressive alchemy!" I caught sight of Father's gloves laying on the counter and bounded towards them, slipping them on my hands. I could feel the power Father holds when he placed these on. The way the transmutation circles grants the ability to even create flames from seemingly nothing. And the snap. The snap always before the explosion. How the victims could feel it in their bones they're screwed at the very sound.

"Whoa, young lady. Hands off the gloves. First of all, they're too big," Father pulled me back and took the gloves off my hands, "Second of all, you are far from ready to play with these. Your mother made it clear that she wants you to wait till after sixteen to actually even start discovering flame alchemy and I have to abide by that."

Frustrated, I frowned. "Makes me wonder who's the subordinate and who's the leader."

"You know as well as I do your mother is famed for her stubbornness and her ability to give me orders at certain times," he smiled, "Now hurry up and get ready. You're coming with me to see the remaining candidates after all."

Now, let's be honest here. My name's Elsa. I'm a girl. And apart from my weird background, I'm actually a very normal girl. I too find my guilty pleasure in seeing hot young men doing amazing things in competition and cheering for them all. However, once you've seen the same tricks shown over and over again once again proving the law of equivalent exchange, conservation of mass, natural providence, and other mumbo jumbo scientific laws, even if hot guys are doing it...things become pretty boring.

So here I am, the fifth year watching the same cute old tricks as they desperately tried to impress Father. I yawned as I watched a young alchemist create a building that towered high into the clouds. Seriously? A tower? I could be more creative than that. Plus, I think the man copied the other man the year infamous FullMetal became a state alchemist.

"You know, you could _try _to act interested. These men are also wondering what you think as well, seeing that you are my daughter," Father muttered under his breath as he surveyed the creations with intense eyes.

I shot him a glance and crossed my arms, watching. Waiting.

There was one alchemist who had not made a single move. He had strode around the arena, dropping small puddles of water from the water bottles he carried. Then as the other young men continued to show off around him, he sat down right in the middle. His eyes were wide and nervous, hesitant and unsure. He carefully watched closely, nodding every once in a while as if impressed by these flowery shows. His dark brown hair fluttered with the wind as his eyes frantically searched every random puddle he made, seemingly relieved to find them still there and not blown away to a watery mess. "Father, why hasn't that one made a move yet? The decision's already about to be made!" I hissed under my breath.

His eyes narrowed at the strange alchemist and checked his papers. "Clark Junior..."

I laughed under my breath. Junior. What a sucky last name.

He stood up, slowly, unsure once again. His feet shuffled on the soft ground, forming a strange transmutation circle crudely drawn like a child's painting. Then stamped down on it.

His water puddles suddenly floated into the air and came together in one mass, freezing to form the shape of a machine gun. The young alchemist grabbed the ice gun and began firing.

Wait.

He fired a machine gun.

Made of _ice_.

Where did he get the bullets!? So what if they were ice bullets; he didn't have enough water to form the gun _and_ bullets! And how could it be working like a normal functional METAL gun? This wasn't making any sense at all. And the water just FLEW to him as if he could actually control water.

Father's eyes narrowed at him as he fired at an empty side of the wall, denting it in. When he seemed to have "ran out", he dropped the gun. It smashed, little ice crystals flying all around and melting by the time they reached the ground. "I have not...seen water alchemy in a long, long time," Father noted to himself, "Most people have forgotten about the classical elements and had gone with the three principle elements instead."

"Fuhrer, sir!" A man saluted. "Have you made a decision?"

Father nodded.

I turned my attention back to the strange Clark boy who had sat down, curled up like a vulnerable child. I clenched my fists. I sure hope Clark Junior was going to choose the correct way of life - to be a State Alchemist to serve his country and people, not search for power. After all, as much as I hated to say, if he ever used water alchemy against the state...Roy Mustang, my father and famed Flame Alchemist, would be useless against him.


	3. Chapter 3

"How do you like this week's guns?"

I elicited them out from the buckle around my pants and slid them across the table, pulling my shirt down more to conceal my weapon hiders once again. "I like last week's better. It was lighter, so it was quicker and easier to use."

"Yes, well the firepower is definitely not as strong."

"It's ok. I have a bit of firepower on my own with this bracelet of mine. Mom."

The General glanced up from her gun collection as she placed the two I returned back to its rightful place. She quickly turned back towards me, her dark brown eyes blazing angrily. "Did the Fuhrer already teach you about flame alchemy?" She was straining herself to keep the composure in her usually cold voice.

"No, he didn't. I asked to though. Actually that's what I really came here to talk about." I sat down, leaning on my arm propped against the table. The General glanced at me before returning to her guns, counting each number and calling them by their name. The sound of slow paws against the floorboards turned my attention to the door. Black Hayate, old from the years, slowly lumbered in with a wagging tale. He lumbered his way over to me and plopped down onto my feet, falling asleep. "Father's quite insistent on keeping his promise to you," I began, "But I don't think I can wait any longer."

"The Fuhrer agrees to keep this dangerous alchemy from you until you're ready, Elsa."

"I am ready. I've already learned the basics of alchemy. I don't have this bracelet for nothing." I raised my only jewelry, a charm dangling from the gray chain. My fingers felt the shape, recognizing the basic transmutation circle. "So you're going to be leave me two years just using basic alchemy and not inheriting the Flame Alchemist's ability."

The General sighed, bringing two more pistols over. "I want you to try these two at the shooting range this week. This one's just a slight bit heavier but I think you'll find the force of it to be-"

"Mom. I'm here to talk about alchemy, not guns"

The General sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Elsa...the Fuhrer and I both know about the devastating effects of flame alchemy. Both he and I are not proud of the capabilities it has, such as incinerating hundreds of people in one snap."

I looked down on the table, still fingering my charm. The image of Father reappeared in my mind the day he explained about Ishval rebellion. The way his face was in his hands, his eyes thoughtful and blazed with sorrow, his voice quiet and regretful. "Fire isn't only destruction," I whispered quietly.

"Excuse me?"

"Fire isn't only destruction. I know what Father did. And I know that fire can be destruction. But it isn't just that. Fire gives life. It works with water in the same way. We, as people, would not be anywhere near we are now without the discovery of fire. Fire is the sun that gives us life. Learning flame alchemy will not make me into a destroyer. It could, but it won't only make me into that. It'll make me into a savior of its own as well. I want to learn flame alchemy to protect, not to fight."

"Sometimes there's no difference."

"Well I'LL make sure to make a difference. Please, Mom, let him teach me!"

Silence permeated the room. Quietly she stood up from her seat, sliding the two guns over to me after filling them with bullets. "Try these two out yourself at the shooting range later. You should hurry back before the Fuhrer worries."

Frustrated, I stuffed the two weapons into their place on my belt and pulled my jacket over. "Thank you," I mumbled angrily and stormed out of her house. I seethed the whole way back. I could feel energy of anger just rolling from my body. I understood. I understood why my parents are so hesitant on teaching me, but what would they expect me to do if I learn them now? Explode my whole school building because everyone was annoying me? (though that wasn't a good example in my mind at the moment. I don't even go to school seeing how Father personally teaches me and has tutors from his subordinates to take his place when it's busy). Not to mention, Amestris is at peace. It's at peace with many countries. It's at peace with its own people thanks to the work of Father and his ever so loyal team. If I were to learn flame alchemy now, I wouldn't even have to use it!

Wait...I feel like I'm only arguing against myself now.

It took a few minutes before I realized that there were footsteps behind me, approaching closer and closer. Casually, I slowed down as I reached my hand into one of the guns. The footsteps behind me seemed to step closer. A breath on my neck, I turned around while sliding back, pointing the gun at the stranger.

"Whoa there! Rule of thumb, I don't fight women."

I blinked, my eyes attempting to adjust in the dark. The mysterious stranger stepped into the streetlight, grinning a devil's smile, teeth and all. His long black hair was tied up in a ponytail, his red eyes fired up with interest. He made his way to the light post, leaning casually, his arms crossed. His black cloak billowed out behind him as the wind blew. "And...who are you?" I suspiciously inspected him some more, not lowering the gun.

"Look, girl, if you wanted my number you could've just asked without the gun."

"HELL NO!"

He snickered, his devil smile widening. "Ah you're the princess of this country, aren't you?"

I tightened my grip around the gun.

"Relax. I wasn't following you or stalking you. In fact, you were walking so damn slow I got so annoyed I wanted to pass you. Time is scarce, girl, and I want ALL the time I can get. But...PRINCESS of Amestris eh?" He made his way slowly to me, bending his face down to stare me in the eyes. My finger almost squeezed the trigger right then and there, but he stopped me, gripping my hand with the gun tightly. "And I don't mind the thought of getting a princess for myself either. What do you say, girl?"

This fucking boy. I bent my arm, pinning one of his down and slammed my left elbow into his neck and kneed his stomach. I quickly stepped back to watch his groaning writhing body. "Fuck off!" I screamed, dashing away. I needed to tell Father about this boy. I grinned, thinking about it.

Can't wait to see him blast this imbecile into smitherins.


	4. Chapter 4

It's funny how things just seem to fly past you when you see something strange.

That's exactly what happened when I dashed into the house, my face so eager it would've brightened the whole room. Then I saw her.

The same woman that had left earlier this morning.

She's here. AGAIN. Crucial thing about the "again". Father never invites the same girl out on a date twice, and here she is. The two were engaged in what appeared to be a serious conversation. Quietly, I shut the door and casually made my way to the kitchen, my eyes watching the woman carefully. She was much younger than my father, at most twenty-five. And she was undoubtedly beautiful. Her thick blond hair glowed golden in the dim light and cascaded down to her waist elegantly. Her eyes were a strange violet and her lips a perfect rose color. I recognized the perfect application of makeup over her face. Normally, I would laugh at women for appearing like such clowns. However, there was a way she applied them that made the makeup fit.

She sat gracefully, her back straight and her arms folded in her lap. Her hands were perfect size, slender and small with long piano like fingers. Her legs, skinny and flawless, crossed each other confidently. "It seems like it's getting late," she smiled, throwing a glance at me. Her voice was thin and musical, a soft piano that pressed its notes timidly yet eloquently at the same time.

Father nodded and took her hand, leading her to the door. They laughed over something trivial. I watched him bow and kiss her hand before bidding her good night, asking the guards to escort the young lady home. He closed the door.

"Who is she?"

He turned, his face telling me he expected the question. "Her name is Desiree Martin," he replied, slowly making his way over to me, his steps even and calculated. "How is the General? What weapons did she give you to try out this time?"

"No offense, Father, but isn't she a little too young for you?" I continued, "And the fact that she's shown up TWICE now."

"She's someone extremely important," Father sat down, slipping his gloves off, "Actually, someone that'll probably be showing up quite a bit now. She's the princess of Drachma."

I spat the milk out. "DRACHMA!? That Northern country that we supposedly had a peace treaty with and was almost on the brink of war all over again and now we're just this shaky we-hate-you-but-we-won't-do-anything-to-you country?"

"That's an interesting way to describe it..."

"The PRINCESS eh? How in the world did you land her?"

Father grinned, a confident smirk spreading onto his face triumphantly. Uh oh... "Well, funny you should ask. You see it was a perfectly sunny day. The sky was blue, the breezes were in our favor, and the air perfumed of the sweet romance of the day to c-"

"You know what, never mind. I don't want the details." That was a close one. Father could go on for hours and hours about the way he snagged women right off the street, having them fall heads over heels for him. I ignored his annoyed look and quickly cleaned up the milk I had spit out. "So she's just here as a tool for a peace treaty."

Father nodded, serious once again. "So I want you to treat her with the utmost respect, Elsa."

"I got it." I sighed, just wondering if I could possibly get used to the fact of another repeated woman presence that didn't belong to Mom. My eyes passed Father's special gloves left on the counter. Oh! How could I have forgotten!? Fury pressing through me all over again, I found where my Father was walking off towards and zoomed in front of him. "FATHER!" I screeched, surprising myself by the ferocity of my voice.

He stared, blinking. "What is it...?"

"THERE WAS A MAN! A COCKY POMPOUS MAN WHO WAS FOLLOWING ME BACK TONIGHT! HE EVEN SAID THAT HE WANTED POSSESSION OF ME!"

Deathly silence. Father heavily turned towards the kitchen and began marching straight for his gloves, slipping one on. He turned ominously. I grinned, taking in the thrill of his waves of destruction emitting from him. His eyes glaring dangerously, he pulled his glove over tighter. "Where is the punk that dares to do something as to follow my daughter home?" he growled.

Then I realized right there how stupid I had been. "I kinda...left him groaning on the ground."

"WHAT!? YOU SUBDUED HIM AND NEVER THOUGHT TO TIE HIM UP SO HE CAN CONTINUE HIS DESERVED PUNISHMENT!?"

"IT WAS THE HEAT OF THE MOMENT, OK!? I'M SURE HE'LL COME BACK STALKING ME LATER!"

"WHY DO I HAVE SUCH A STUPID DAUGHTER!?"

"IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'RE ANY BETTER, FATHER!"

Lesson for you all: Do not put two fiery tempered people together. Our energy tended to combine and power each other continuously for several hours before we finally ran out of steam yelling at each other and being angry. It's usually somewhere in the middle of our heated arguments that Mom would interrupt. But this time, Mom was nowhere near. After three hours of just playing the blame game, we both gave up and collapsed on the couch. "I have work to do," Father grumbled, "Just be more careful and make sure to TAKE HIM TO ME if he has the nerve to show up again."

I nodded, deprived of energy. I watched Father go into his study room and shut the door. Well, that would be the last of him I'll see for tonight.

My eyes wandered around, bored, before I finally noticed the thing that remained out of place. Father's journal right on the coffee table. The small handbook that he kept _everything_ in. Including his flame alchemy.

Eyes widening, I grasped the small book like it was a philosopher stone. He wouldn't notice the book missing. Not tonight. I just have to put it back where it was by the next morning. Hands shaking from the anticipation, I flipped through the pages stopping at the page where he had drawn his flame alchemy transmutation circle. "I got it," I whispered. Inspecting my surroundings one more time, I crept upstairs towards my room with the book.

If Father wasn't going to teach me his alchemy, I'll just learn it myself.


	5. Chapter 5

It doesn't take much covert experience to sneak the journal back onto the coffee table. I wasn't quite finished with what I needed to read about Father's flame alchemy, but I did skim the majority. And most importantly, memorized how to draw the transmutation circle. But if I were to use flame alchemy, I couldn't copy Father and his ignition gloves - that would be too obvious and arouse too much suspicion. I needed something different.

I slipped my bracelet off, feeling the common transmutation circle charm hanging from the gray, a light bulb lighting right above my head. Literally. Why of course! All I would have to do is make another charm to hang onto my bracelet. I doubt Father or even my mom would notice the extra charm with Father's famed transmutation circle inscribed on it. I grinned at the very thought. All I have to do is visit my trusty jeweler. Or "jeweler". Whatever you wanted to name this special secret person.

I peeked out of the window of my room, noticing Father leaving for his car and the arrival of one of the many tutors assigned to me. "This will be a piece of cake," I snickered, slipping out of my window when the car had driven away.

"Miss Elsa!" the tutor called absentmindedly.

Gripping the charm in my hand, I extracted a bit of the brick wall to form a perfect pole that I slid down on. Placing the pole back into its original place among the bricks, I dashed off right for the heart of the capital and the jeweler I so needed to visit.

My plan was to go to the jeweler, ask for a charm to be made in Father's transmutation circle, and rush back home. That didn't include a number of things that happened that day, one of the first being that I bumped right into Clark, the Ice Alchemist (and talk about a cheesy name. Father really needs to work on his naming ability, and he blames Mom for the even cornier names like Black Hayate and Phoenix as my middle name). "Ah, I'm sorry," he jumped back, "You seem familiar though...Oh! You're the daughter of the Fuhrer!" He quickly straightened himself, saluting right to me.

"Hey, stop that!" I pulled his arm down from its perfect salute position, "I don't need attention drawing, especially since I'm not wearing a uniform so it's just weird that you're saluting to a commoner in the first place."

"Oh...sorry..."

I sighed, crossing my arms. "Clark is your name, right?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Well nice to meet you, Clark." I tried to make my way around him.

"May I ask why you're wandering here all by yourself? Aren't you supposed to be at some kind of tutoring session right now?"

Right, which was exactly why I was trying to rush away from him, order that piece of charm, and rush back before the tutor actually personally called Father to look for me. But I didn't tell him that. "Break time!" I answered with a bit too much vigor, "Which is going to end soon so I have to go get something done. Excuse me!"

He followed me. Of course that had to be a coincidence.

Only he turned the same way I turned. And he looked at the same things I did. And he matched me step by step. HE WAS FREAKING FOLLOWING ME. I did my best to control my rising temper as I whirled around to face him. "Can I help you with something?" I growled, my hand clenching behind my back.

"As a state alchemist now, I have a duty to protect the country and serve the Fuhrer. So as a state alchemist, I have to make sure that you make it back to your house safe and sound once you're done with your break time!"

His optimism and chirpiness somehow didn't quite match the element he was a master of alchemy at. "Yes, well thank you but I think I'll be fine doing this myself..."

"I have a duty!"

"Gah, fine! Then don't slow me down!" I zoomed off, hoping to lose him then. Ignoring the annoying shadow that loomed threateningly over me (threateningly because he might be the reason that I end up getting in trouble with Father), I burst into the jeweler store. "Anna!" I called, making my way to the counter, "I need another bracelet charm."

She stared. "Your bracelet isn't supposed to be a charm bracelet."

"Yes, well I'm making it into one now. I need a charm to look like this," I lowered my voice, taking out the paper of the transmutation circle I had copied from Father's journal. Anna unfolded it and quickly glanced at the smaller details. "Do you care on explaining exactly why you want another transmutation charm that happens to be the Fuhrer's signature circle?" she murmured under her breath, "And why you're making such a big secret about this?"

"I've already ranted to you about how I'm not allowed to learn flame alchemy until eighteen."

"But you still did, didn't you!? You're dead meat!"

"SHH!" I flailed my arms around, "I'm sorry that I lost your other charm you made for me, ok!? Please forgive me, Anna!" Clark had glanced up when Anna stopped her whispering and decided to almost shout right out loud at what I'm doing behind Father's back. At my totally bad acted out outburst, he glanced back away at the small trinkets on sale. Anna groaned, placing her head into her hands. "You're going to bring some bad trouble on yourself like this, Elsa. I'm warning you right now, but I'll still make that charm. As long as the pay is right." She threw her dagger eyes at me.

There's always something scary about those dagger eyes. I tried my best to smile angelically and nodded as she made her way back into the workshop of her shop, sending one of her coworkers to take over the register. I sighed, turning back to Clark. "Ok, I'm done. I'll make my way back to the mansion now..." I trailed off.

Desiree Martin, the princess, walked right past the jewelry store door and met up with a man in front of its large display window.

A familiar man.

An infuriatingly familiar man.

I could feel my blood boil just by seeing his face. The very man who dared to have STALKED ME! "Clark," I whispered with clenched teeth, "Get DOWN!"

He dropped low. "What is it, Miss Elsa? Is there a terrorist attack? Here, let me find some water and-"

"No," I crept closer to the door and peeked out from the window, "Just be quiet..."

He was an obvious flirt, attempting to make annoying goes at the princess's body as she quietly rebuked him with the quiet piano voice of hers. I couldn't hear...if I could just make my way a bit closer to the window with my ear pressed against it...wait, why was I going through all these troubles in the first place when I have something else? I grasped the charm in my hand and pressed it against the wall of jewelry store, forming a funnel to the outside street. I could hear the cars that honked past and the pattering of people's feet. And I could hear the two distinctive voices I needed to hear.

"Man all these ordering around. I'm getting annoyed. I'm a little tired of being like a little puppy. It's time for me to start dreaming BIGGER and getting what I WANT," the stalker pouted.

"If you don't be a good boy, you're only going to bring the end to yourself like all those others before you had. I'm sure you've heard the stories about them. And since you're filled with avarice, I'm going to assume you'll want to live longer than those before you had as well, aren't you, Greed?"

I blinked. Greed...?


	6. Chapter 6

Without even thinking properly, I dashed out of the jewelry store with Clark scrambling after me, calling my name. Damn it. I was way too close in proximity to the two for them to not notice the princess of Amestris just stumbling out of a jewelry store in frantic nature. Not to mention, a state alchemist wearing his military uniform blundering right after me.

I ignored the unwelcomed stares of the civilians as I pushed my way through. Hell with it if they saw me. I had to tell Father. As long as Father knew, everything will be fine...hopefully. My mind raced with the small exchange "Desiree" had held with the strange stalker man. She had called him Greed. There was a time when the Fuhrer had been the a homunculus that there was a group of them - seven. All represented in some shape or form of the sins that we humans possess, one of the most crucial ones named Greed.

Father himself hadn't had much association with the particular homunculus (the homunculi who did have particular associations with him never actually lived long...considering he incinerated Lust in a matter of minutes after realizing who she was and then pretty much tossed Envy in the flames of hell when he came to formally met that one). But he's heard from plenty others that Greed tended to be the one that defects over to the opposite side of who he was originally working for, at one point taking over the body of the prince of Xing, Ling Yao. He was considered an ally to Amestrians and a friend to the Xingese people of the Yao Clan as well as the once famous Fullmetal Alchemist (Father "affectionately" calls him shortmetal alchemist at time...though I met him once and I didn't really find him short at all).

But the very FACT that the princess had called that man Greed HAD to mean something. No matter how bad a parent could be at naming a child, they would never name their son over something so horrid and ridiculous and embarrassing overall, not to mention the bad connotations.

"Hey, call my Father!"I called, running up to the mansion door. I burst in, bumping right into...oh well looks like Father was here after all. Wait...why was Father here again? He should be at work in his office...

I felt flames for a moment surrounding me. "Where WERE YOU!?" he hollered angrily. I screeched jumping back. Right...my tutoring session...that I had completely ditched and forgotten about..."And YOU, Ice Alchemist!" he pointed threateningly at the newbie. Precariously, I noticed he wore his ignition gloves. "Why were you with her!?"

"I saw her on the street, sir!" Clark quickly straightened himself, saluting, "She told me she was on her break, so I decided to accompany her to make sure she's safe!"

Damn it...that lie's out.

Father glared at me, his face resembling a rabid wolf. "Oh, DID she? Well where was she particularly going in this break time, huh?"

"A jewelry store, sir! She met up with a woman whose name is Anna!"

Father waved his hand at Clark. "Go. Dismissed." With one strong arm, he yanked me inside and closed the door. The moment I felt his grip around my arm, I began planning my eulogy. I've learned to distinguish the yanks these years around. There's the frantic one when he's trying to escape the reporters or an onslaught of women he hadn't plan to come. There's the calm one where he seems to be angry with me to keep up the appearance of a stern and loving father.

Then there's this one.

With the force of a hundred bears that could YANK the arm right out of my socket.

"I thought I made it CLEAR to you that you are NOT to be ditching your courses anymore! Being the Fuhrer's daughter only means you need to be educated MORE than to be SNEAKING AWAY!" I tried to glance away but he had nailed me frozen with the look in his eyes. "And why were you visiting ANNA? Isn't she the one who made your transmutation bracelet." His eyes widened as if realizing something. I cursed within. Having a smart parent is great. Having an intelligent parent is a whole new matter. He raised my wrist to his eye level as he grasped the single charm, feeling it carefully. He seemed to have calmed down slightly after realizing I was still wearing the same normal boring transmutation circle that I've already learned and was allowed to learn. He dropped my arm. "I left my journal out on the coffee table one night. You did NOT go snooping around in it, did you? Because if you deliberately disobeyed me-"

"Father," I finally interrupted, "I know what both you and Mom are capable of. I'd be someone digging my own grave if I disobeyed you two."

Father squinted his eyes, scrutinizing me. However, I was confident. Both of my parents were charmingly amazing liars, and the genetics did not fail to apply to me. Ever since I was young, I realized both of my parents had trouble distinguishing my lies from my truths. Now was no different. "More importantly," I quickly grasped the silent chance, "I heard something when I was visiting Anna. Desiree Martins, that princess you're seeing, she met up with that man stalking me the other night. But she called him something weird. She literally called him Greed!"

Father took another pause. "Greed?"

I nodded. "And I didn't see any weird tattoos on them like you described the homunculi back then to have."

There was a prolonged silence. "Go back to your studies," he finally spoke, "I need to think about this." And with that, he patted me on the shoulder with a serious grip and left the mansion.

I didn't think back much after that. I was stupid. Here in my great big mansion of Father, the feared and respected Flame Alchemist, your walls go down and you simply forget what a dangerous world it is. Which was the exact trap I fell into, the exact trap _they _took advantage of.

There was this feeling in the middle of my sleeping that woke me up. The feeling of red eyes that somehow watched me with curiosity and a hint of threat. I sat up, scoping the dark room and found nothing that stared back at me. Unsettled, I settled myself deeper into my blankets, giving my room one last glance.

Then a hand went over my mouth and a rambunctious laughter. "Sorry, girlie!" a familiar voice chortled, "I told you I don't fight women so don't pick me on that. Technically I'm not fighting you at all!"

The darkness descended.


	7. Chapter 7

Something strange happened to me last night. But the crucial thing was...I simply don't remember. Groaning at the annoying sound of my alarm clock, I wearily made my way down the stairs and greeted Father stonily as he drank his coffee. Curiously, he turned towards me with a serious look in his eyes. "Elsa."

"Hmm?"

"I wanted to talk to you about something."

Well that was different for a change. It sounded like he actually WANTED to discuss politics with me once. I settled down on the stool with my glass of milk and a cookie in my hand. "Sure, what is it?"

"You're positive about what you saw outside of the jewelry store?"

I blinked, confused. "What are you talking about...?" My mind recalled the day before, how I had sneakily made my way to Anna to have a transmutation charm made so I could replicate the abilities of flame alchemy. Clark, the annoying newbie alchemist, had followed me all the way to and back to make sure of my quote on quote "safety". I tipped my head. "I didn't see anything weird outside of the jewelry store apart from the usual bustling of people."

"You talked about Desiree talking with another man with whom she called Greed," Father peered at me, his eyes blazed up with troubling thoughts.

Greed? I blinked some more, my mind trying to grasp if I had ever heard of such a ridiculous name for a man. "You mean like the homunculus that existed some while back?" I asked, "Because there was nothing close to that sort of conversation to begin with...it was really normal. There were just...people."

Father stubbornly stared back at me.

I sighed. "Did you have too much to drink last night? I'm not exactly vigorous on my watching of you like Mom. This is precisely why Mom should visit every week at least."

"You saw NOTHING of Desiree talking with a man that stalked you when you were making your way back from the general the other night?" His voice jolted me to full awareness. There was a tinge of worry, which was to happen at times. But there was a complete sense of just intense interrogation WITHIN his voice. Father has a way of searching through someone without any need of an actual conversation. The way his eyes scanned you from within your soul as he smiled pompously. The way he gestured towards you and watched your reactions with casual interest. But when the interrogation element actually entered his voice...something was happening. Something usually bad.

Frantically, I searched my mind again, recognizing a glimpse of the princess's perfect hair turning around the corner of the jewelry store. "I...well, I remember SEEING her walking past the jewelry store but that was it. She wasn't talking to anyone." I dug deeper into my memories. "But I definitely DON'T remember her talking to that stalker. And trust me, Father, I would recognize that stalker if I had met up with him again."

He yanked me up by my arm. I started, unsure how to react. This yank didn't really categorize into any yank he's ever given to me. "We need to take you to a doctor."

"Wait, WHY!?"

"Come on, Elsa, no questions. Let's go." Before I had even more time to protest, he had pushed me out the door and into our car, driving full speed off, his eyes watching me with frantic parental concern.

"EYES ON THE ROAD, FATHER!"

The doctor packed everything up. "She's in perfect health, sir. There's nothing wrong with her body and nothing appeared to be altered at all."

Father glanced at me and then beckoned the doctor outside, leaving me in the cold white room. I shivered, curling myself up. Even when I had been burning with fever, Father didn't bother calling the doctor, preparing I just tough it out (which I eventually did). This was something serous. The questions he asked...he was definitely expecting different answers from me this morning.

I replayed my memories one more time, going through every detail that occurred. My answers were right. I wasn't lying to Father. My answers were correct...they were CORRECT...I've seen these memories inside my mind a hundred times now. They HAD to be correct.

Could my memories had been altered?

It was possible I believed. There were studies made where alchemy could actually change the way the mind thinks, but that was closed down. Human transmutation in any shape or form was forbidden, and both of my parents had seen the effects of it enough times to know to have it legal would be stupid.

In any case, IF my memories had been altered, who could've possibly done such a large thing and gotten away with it? Was I kidnapped at night? Or did they just do it in the house? Either way, Father would've been alerted with another strange presence. He was too perceptive to let a stranger slip through the cracks. Unless it wasn't a stranger...?

That would leave Mom. And I doubt Mom would do such a thing.

Still there was something frightening me...something about the darkness of the way I slept the previous night.


	8. Chapter 8

I gulped down the food unhappily. The general watched me curiously, sitting down across from me and sipped from her own bowl with a sort of rigid gracefulness. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

"Father stuck me here tonight. THAT'S what's wrong."

"He wants you to have someone looking after you as he goes out with that princess tonight."

Princess. Desiree Martin. A flash of something strange streaked through my memories, of her walking around the corner of the jewelry store yet the reflection at the window stopping instead. I shook my head. "I've been home alone countless times through the night as he went out on his nightly ventures. I see nothing wrong with today."

"You know why he wants you here tonight," the general argued calmly, "Something changed in you."

I paused from my stuffing, recalling the doctor's visit and the questions Father pressed onto me in the morning. "I really think I'm fine," I finally concluded quietly. The general watched me a while longer before standing up. "You're going to wash your own dishes tonight and just head to bed as soon as possible."

Yeah right. I might head to bed but that didn't necessarily mean I was going to stay in it. After what appeared to be obey the general, I easily slipped out the window and down below to the ground just as I had the day before to visit Anna in order to have my transmutation charm made. Something was going on with Father and the princess and seeing that the mansion wasn't too far away, I was going to make my way towards it and figure it out.

I climbed over the apartment walls with about as much ease as a monkey...not that I really want to be associated with the animal. As I stealthily made my way through the dark on the road, I heard footsteps behind me. I paused, waiting for the footsteps to begin again and then continued my way. The way the footsteps pressed onto the ground, the strength they pounded, the speed...it was simply all too familiar. I whirled around, eliciting my gun that I always had strapped onto me, and pointed at the perpetrator.

The stalker's face became visible as my eyes adjusted to the dark more. He grinned his devil's grin, his hands up in the air. "Now, WHEN are you going to learn not to point a gun at me? I told you already, I don't fight women."

"YOU again," I spat venom. His face sent another streak of memory replaying in my mind. Desiree Martin...turning around the corner of the jewelry store...her reflection stopping...and his reflection in front of her even though he was nowhere to be seen physically...

"Yes, ME again. Got a problem with that?"

I shook the strange image from my mind. "As a matter of fact, I do! Why are you stalking ME every time I come walking around this area!?"

He was silent, assessing me top to bottom. I clenched my body in preparation. If he changed his mind on that rule of thumb he made, he was going to make a huge mistake. He finally smiled, his devil's grin stretching wider than I thought was possible. "You're interesting. And I like interesting." One second later, his face was right in front of mine, that pompous smile still shining brightly in the dark. "Not to mention I tend to take what I like."

That was the last straw. I didn't give a damn if he didn't fight women because I sure fought men. Angrily, I punched him right in the face and tripped his legs before turning around and roundhouse kicking his stomach. I crossed my arms smugly as I watched him fly through the air and into a tree. That should've very nicely knocked him out...except I didn't think he might've cracked his skull on that tree trunk. Shit. Then I just committed murder...No, no. I didn't commit murder-that was completely out self defense! Still, I stupidly ran over to check my strange stalker. "Hey...still alive...?" I shook him uncertainly.

A steel grip around my wrist.

Suddenly I was dragged down to the trunk of the tree and pinned with my arms clasped together by one huge steel hand. "Aw, go to hell!" I twisted my legs to kick the stalker in the face. He stopped one with his arm blocking before getting kicked right in with my other leg. I quickly stood up, dusting myself up. "That's what you get for daring to go after the Fuhrer's daughter," I spat at him.

He chuckled before laughing hysterically. I stared at him, confusion crossing my face. Who would laugh after just getting a combat boot slammed right into his face, especially that might've made him lose some teeth? "Oh you really are something. A tough one." He looked up, his face not even showing the slightest hints of being just kicked in.

"Wha-?"

Heat. So much heat. Again. Desiree Martins turning around the corner of the jewelry store but her reflection stopping. The stalker's reflection in front of her and they're talking...talking. Why? What was this that I was seeing? I unconsciously gave a cry of pain, falling down on my knees, gripping my head. What was going on with me?

"Huh...so it looks like the original memories are trying to resurface, eh? You're quite greedy to want to keep what you've already lost," his voice pounded into my head.

Through my pain, I glared at him with as much fire as I could muster. "Who are you?"

He stood over me, looking down at me. I felt pathetic, crouched before the very man who had somehow instigated a strange headache of neverending images of the princess whose reflection never followed what she was doing. As the scene replayed itself once again in my head, a ghostly figure of the stalker wavered at a perfection position of where his reflection would've shown on the glass of the jewelry store's window. "Here I'll give you a hand," he kept the grin stuck on his face as he knelt down gently, lifting my face up to look at him. "Who am I, eh? The name is Greed. Greed the Avaricious. I want everything you can possibly. I want money and women, power and sex, status, glory! I demand the finer things in life! AND above all..." he took his time, milling about, watching me as the pain inside my head intensified that I could feel my insides exploding like the explosions Father is so capable of. Had he hunted me down? Did he discover I learned flame alchemy without his permission? Had he come to kill me with the general who would soon drill bullets in my head to murder me? "I am a homunculus."

Proudly, he flashed the tattoo on his hand.

That was it. The pain was too much to give in. I gave into the weakness that was begging me to take. I passed out.


	9. Chapter 9

I woke up in my bed the next morning. Screw it. I don't even care anymore on how I even ended back in my bed. I just knew that I suddenly had my memories back, particularly the one at night when Greed had knocked me out with a move before I could even react. I quickly crashed out of bed, slipping into my clothes. "Mom, where's Father right this very instant!?" I shouted quite hysterically.

"I'm about to make my way out now to him..." the general glanced at me curiously.

"Mom, let me come with you."

"You have studies to attend to, Elsa." Then she stared at me a little longer. I could only imagine how I looked. I could feel the sweat turning cold against my whole body, and adrenaline shook me to the very core. The general finally nodded. "I hope you're not just going to wear that when you go to his office," she finally decided, gabbing her military jacket.

I didn't even try to complain. Through the whole car ride, my body was ready to just burst out of the car and dash over to the headquarters myself. The information was much too important. For God's sake, Father was seeing the PRINCESS of Drachma who was in association with a HOMUNCULUS named Greed. Father's very life was in danger by being with this young beautiful gorgeous woman.

The general gripped my shoulder tightly as she straightly made her way to Father's office without any signs of new news. Father glanced up from his mountain of paperwork. The general saluted. "Here reporting for duty, your excellency."

Father's eyes narrowed when he noticed I was standing next to her. He nodded, standing up himself. "At ease." then waved the usual guards away, closing the door. "Elsa, what is it?"

That question was a trigger. The information just came bursting out of my mouth like a bomb waiting to be detonated. "I remember now! I did see Desiree Martin outside of Anna's jewelry store, and she was talking to that stalker whom she called Greed! But the reason why that I didn't seem to know any of the right answers to your questions the next day was because that very night Greed actually came to my room and knocked me out and did something to my memories because then I was remembering all these weird reflection things that don't match what I actually remember and then I sort of snuck out of my room last night and met up with Greed again and then the real memories started to come back and Greed was talking about how I was greedy or something and then revealed to me that he was actually a homunculus and that means that the princess of Drachma is in association with a homunculus that pretty much brought hell on earth on Amestris back then so you gotta stop seeing her!"

Breathless. I finally understood what it meant to actually be breathless. And then that creeping feeling that I actually said something extra that I shouldn't have..."You. SNUCK. Out of your room," the general repeated in verification.

Damn...

Father sat back down.

I timidly glanced up into furious eyes of the general. "Well it came with a good outcome after all...?" I smiled.

"You SNUCK out of your room!? You were staying with me so you'd stay OUT of trouble and OUT of harm's way but you just come WALTZING right into it just like your father once did when he left his post! ARE YOU STUPID OR JUST DELIBERATELY DISOBEDIENT OR BOTH!?"

In cases like these and your mother is quite lethal with a gun, you learn to simply nod and agree that she's always correct. Father rubbed his head at the mention of his infamous post leaving that his team still sometimes mocked him over. When he noticed the general's wrath passing over, he glanced back up. "So...we know that she indeed knows that the homunculi's name is Greed. However, we cannot assume that the princess actually knows she's in association with a homunculus."

"Father, I never thought I'd have to call you stupid. But...his freaking name is Greed. How do you NOT know you're dealing with a weirdo?"

"A weirdo does NOT equal to a homunculus, Elsa. The political matters with Drachma right now is finalizing to become peaceful. It would be stupid to ruin it completely not to mention completely detrimental to the country, especially the towns and cities on the northern border." He thoughtfully crossed his hands, closing his eyes. "That being said, that doesn't mean I won't be looking into the matter. General."

The general straightened herself.

"Gather the staff. We need to work something out."

Even though I knew it would be suicide to sneak out during the day again...I still snuck out. Not to mention I was going to retrieve something that both the general and Father will kill me, revive me, and kill me again. "Hey Anna," I grinned, waltzing my way to the register, "Got something for me?"

She smirked, taking out a small wrapped box. "After you give me what I need."

Quickly, I dropped the coins onto the table. Her eyes gleamed of eagerness at the coins and quickly swiped the coins away into her sticky hand. "Alright, this should work for you. That is if you actually did master the flame alchemy that you claimed to have." She slid the box over. I greedily grasped it into my hand, untying the knot around it and threw the lid aside (much to Anna's chagrin).

The charm.

My fingers felt the delicate thing carefully. I had long memorized the lines, the way that certain ones sloped at a degree in comparison to the horizontal lines. And the salamander. It felt like some kind of ritual, hooking the charm onto my bracelet. The flame alchemy that was kept from me for so long was finally in my grasp. "Hey," Anna whispered, "Who's that hunk grinning at you through the window?"

I whirled around, coming face to face with the devil's grin. He waved casually and stuck his hands into his pockets, walking away. Confidence radiating from me like the flames of a fire, I gripped the charm in my hand. "Don't worry. I'll handle him."


	10. Chapter 10

I skidded around the corner and chased his walking casual form until I reached a dead end in a shady part of the shopping center. He turned around, his hands still in his pockets, all relaxed. "Hello, princess of Amestris. Or not actually princess."

I tried to make myself look intimidating. "I want you to tell me everything or I'll fight it out of you."

He sighed, appearing disappointed. "How many times have I had to tell you that I'm not the kind of guy to fight ladies."

"Yeah!? Well I don't know how many times I've had to prove to you that I'm the type to fight men!" This was perfect. I could test out my flame alchemy right on this homunculus and...except I don't have a spark. And I sure as hell do not carry lighters or matches with me. I grasped my charms, slightly disappointed by the revelation. The charms felt different when they grated against my skin. Eyes widening, I felt both charms and realized that Anna had made one of the charms rougher than usual. No, it wasn't just one of the charms. It was my flame one. The surface felt like it could just rub against any metal surface and create...a spark. "You never let me down, Anna," I smiled and stood up straighter. I could just rub the charm right off of my metal bracelet, create the spark, use alchemy to manipulate the concentration of oxygen around the air to boom right on this annoying freak.

Greed tipped his head, still grinning. "Oh? Something interesting?"

"Yes," I bit my lip in anticipation, pressing the charm against my bracelet, "Since you're so greedy for everything, I will now grant you the knowledge to what it feels like being stuck right in an explosion!"

I rubbed the charm quickly against the bracelet. It worked. There was a spark. The TINIEST of sparks but a spark nonetheless. Quickly, still grasping the charm in my fingers, I changed the concentration of oxygen in the air.

That being said, it WAS my first time...

It doesn't exactly take much of a genius to know how well it must've gone (I don't need reminding. This is taking every ounce of my strength to record exactly what happened). The explosion happened alright, just not exactly around the homunculus as planned. Instead, the explosion happened right before my face. I was thrown back at the impact, slamming right into a wall. When the dust finally cleared, Greed was staring at me with amused wide eyes. And to mock me even more, he actually clapped! "That was a good display of firepower! Truly the famed Flamed Alchemist's daughter..._though_ I'm pretty sure you're actually supposed to aim instead of letting it just explode in front of you. I mean, unless you want to commit suicide or something..."

Damn it. In an even more desperate attempt to redeem myself, I quickly scraped the charm against my metal bracelet for the spark and tried one more time. The explosion happened in the same place, only louder and smokier and just larger than the first one, completely uncontrolled and wild like the emotions that were coursing through me. Greed blinked, staring at the humongous black spot of where the explosion had landed on the ground. "So do the Amestrians pay taxes to clean this part up or does your family actually have to get money out of their pockets to pay for this mess you made?"

Why is this homunculus so talented at pissing me off? Without even thinking, I flew at him with a kick which he quickly avoided by doing an impressive flip over me. He turned his head towards the street when the sounds of screeching tires approached this little abandoned shady part of the shopping center. "And that's my cue to go," he grinned annoyingly, scaling up the wall with an impressive speed, "Later little princess!"

Little princess, I am about to tear that homunculus up limb by limb-

"ELSA!"

...or maybe I was about to be torn apart limb by limb. Reluctantly, I turned to face the voice. "Was that FLAME alchemy!?"

Father.

I apologize as I fast forward through some things. You don't particularly like to recount the time you cry, especially when they're by two absolutely infuriated parents because you had once again deliberately disobeyed them. Understatement of the century. Father and the general wasn't just infuriated; they practically became the reincarnation of Wrath itself. They both had me grounded with guards watching 24/7, making sure that I was to never leave the house for a whole month.

So I had two options put simply: I could comply and suffocate, or I could run away.

To be quite honest, I was tired of listening and watching. I needed to be part of the action. Not to mention I was sixteen. I had every right to learn flame alchemy. Father might take forever to investigate what the hell was going on with the Drachman princess. I, however, can find out a lot easier. I just have to pay a visit to Drachma itself. It was for the good of everything. My parents would have to stop worrying about me, and I could possibly save my whole country.

Along the way, I could establish some control over flame alchemy as well. I slipped the charm back onto my bracelet. I knew what was coming for me, so I quickly had unhooked my newest charm. In Father's anger, he had actually taken the old transmutation circle and left me with my newer one. Silently, I packed my bags and grabbed my money. Buying a train ticket should be easy. Not everyone knows what the "princess" of Amestris looks like, so if I find a ticket station far enough from the central headquarters, I could be passed off as a normal passenger. But I do need someone to accompany me. I am rebellious but not stupid. Going into a foreign country without backup would be suicide. I just needed to find someone who is powerful and very naive at the same time...

"Psst. Clark!" I rapped on his window some more.

The Ice Alchemist's eyes widen in surprise as he opened the window. "Miss Elsa? What are you doing here? I heard you were in trouble and-"

"That was all just a made up story. I'm actually on a secret mission to Drachma ordered by Father, and I want you to accompany me to keep me safe." When I saw his hesitation, I relentlessly continued, "I'm actually not supposed to bring anyone, but I feel too inexperienced for this."

"Well I'm not too experienced myself-"

"I need you. Please, can you help me?"

Father had told me that question was magical. And I witnessed it myself. Clark's eyes changed from unsure to determined. He nodded affirmatively and quickly began gathering his stuff, packing up a bag of clothes. "When do we leave, Miss Elsa? And where to?"

"Tonight. And to Drachma."

Author note: Ok, I think I actually know where I'm going now with this. And since I actually know where I'm going, I PROMISE this will get better.


	11. Greed

_Bah, humans can be so pathetic at times, he thought to himself. Bored, he swung himself high up on a tree next to the Fuhrer's mansion and hung upside down with his legs, just hanging there. He's seen children do such a thing on those weird monkey bar things on the playgrounds. It's funny how they had no clue they were actually utilizing an important part of martial arts._

_The Fuhrer of Amestris came storming past, meeting up with his famed "dog" who looked just about as distressed as the Fuhrer was himself. Well, that was a change. It was hard to see a crack in emotions and personality out of any of those two. He flung himself onto the roof and crept closer to the window, peeking down through the large window. In fact, his face was pressed right against the glass. He almost laughed out loud as he eavesdropped right before two of the most powerful Amestrians' eyes. Foolish, pathetic humans. They always let their emotions to get the best of them and allow enemies to use the emotions to manipulate like puppets. _

_"Where could she have possibly gone!?"_

_"Anna already swore that Elsa didn't even pass by her store when she just disappeared," the Fuhrer rubbed his forehead._

_He grinned. Ah that troublemaking princess of Amestris. At least she was around to keep things interesting for him._

_"What can she possibly do!? Nothing! She's just a child and she's learned some incomplete version of flame alchemy and she just went charging off into battle...for what even!?"_

_The Fuhrer sat down, clenching his hands together in an effort to keep his temper in check. "The homunculi- whom she doesn't know how to fight at all."_

_"She might be going to Drachma to investigate Princess Desiree," the dog blinked, "She'll need to board a train. We need to ask all the nearby train stations, figure out which line she's on-"_

_"No, no, no. That won't work. She's smarter than that. She'd know that would be our first thought on where she could have ran off to and deliberately choose not to go to Drachma." The Fuhrer stood up, rubbing his fingers together slowly, watching the spark with worried eyes. "But she'll still want to go to Drachma...Drachma's too large for us to just up and go and wait for her to arrive. Not to mention we're still not exactly that welcomed in that country. She might ride to a smaller place first and go to Drachma from there. Like Resembool."_

_The dog raised her eyebrows. "Resembool?"_

_"That's the only place she actually knows that's not a big large city."_

_Ah, alas, how wrong they were though. He grinned, done with his eavesdropping, and slipped back onto the roof, sitting casually with his legs crossed in a childish manner. The princess was smarter than that. She had completely doublecrossed them. He had seen with his own eyes of the princess climbing onto a train to Drachma from Central with a young naive looking alchemist with her. She knew her father would think like that and decided to go with the easy simple line of thinking instead. _

_"So I've got a disobedient princess on the loose, the leader running in circles, and Lust still exerting her influence," he rocked himself happily, "I want some more fun though. Guess I'll just go and shake things up a bit more." He howled in confident laughter and ran off into the darkness._


	12. Chapter 12

I watched the scenery fly past. The world truly looked beautiful when all you see is the surface. I shivered, remembering the feeling I had last night. I could hear my parents screaming right beside my ear. "So what are we exactly looking for, Miss Elsa?" Clark's voice broke into my thoughts abruptly. "We're going to do some research on their princess. Her supposed name is Desiree Martins," I replied, searching through my bag for the compilation of newspapers I had brought along, "She's definitely the princess alright..." I stared a photo of her when she was younger, "But there's something very strange going on with her."

"Isn't she...seeing the Fuhrer?"

"In a way," I murmured. It's not exactly the most comfortable feeling to get when you begin to describe your father's womanizing skills.

A man walked down the aisle and plopped himself down right beside me. "Princess Desiree Martins. She's the only princess of Drachma and quite the gem considering her six other brothers are extremely useless and just brute force. Everyone adores her and loves her and she's quite into political affairs. So the king and queen of that country is actually considering on making her the ruler instead of either of the boys." The mysterious man grinned his devil grin and pulled down his hood. "What's up, princess?"

I screeched. Before I could even fathom what I was doing, I found myself dashing out to the back of the train at the tracks and throwing the man - or more specifically Greed- overboard. Clark followed and watched with wide panicked eyes. "You just killed a man!"

"He's not a man!" I screamed back, "He's a homunculus and it's only a matter of time before he's-"

"Now that wasn't very nice to a guy who just gave you a bunch of biographical information so you don't need to spend your precious time at the library," Greed climbed back up, fine as day.

Vaguely aware that Clark was STILL there, I picked Greed up and threw him right off the train again. "You...just killed him...again," Clark stared.

"Goodness sakes," Greed pulled himself back up, the back of his head healing, "Is this what a guy gets for establishing a rule of thumb not to fight women? Doesn't seem very fair."

I finally calmed myself down with some extreme hyperventilating breathing. "What are YOU doing here!?"

"Following you," he proclaimed rather (annoyingly) proudly, "You're fun to be around, and I'll always take a chance to kill my boredom."

I allowed him to climb back up this time and actually didn't toss him right off the train. "I thought we could play a fun game," he grinned, his hair billowing with the wind, "I give you hints and you chase after the hints until you find what you're looking for since I do know what you two are looking for. In fact, I know ALL the answers."

I crossed my arms. "If you're planning on helping me, why don't you just flat out tell me then?"

He howled in laughter. "Who said I was helping you? I said we were playing a game. And make it amusing for me," He leaned forward, his grin shining way too brightly in the sunlight, "This is all about me and nothing about you, princess."

I said the first word that came to my mind. "Greedy."

"THAT'S my name!"

"Can someone please explain to me what's going on?" Clark wheedled helplessly as I marched my way back into the train angrily.

Long story short, I explained the whole thing to Clark. And his reaction...wasn't quite the calmest of all reactions I've seen. However, I had no time to deal with his newbie realizations. I focused myself on Greed who pompously sat like he was the boss of us, his arms crossed, his legs crossed, and his eyes looking down. That and he's also quite tall compared to Clark and I. "So what's the hint?" I finally demanded, taking out a notepad.

"You know Desiree Martins wasn't exactly beautiful and desirable until she started investing herself into makeup," he sighed nonchalantly, "And BOY did she really up herself body wise once she did. She could make anyone's eyes just divert to her breasts and her curves. Makes me wish I could have her for my own." He covered his face and laughed greedily.

Gross...and this was getting absolutely nowhere with him tagging along. Though his words did make sense. I looked at the young Desiree Martins once again. She was a pretty little girl who would grow up pretty as well...but not exactly desirable to a crazy degree like the way she looked like now. "So makeup, huh...?" I murmured.

"Excuse me, Miss Elsa? Are we really going to just let a homunculus just tag along?" Clark piped up timidly.

"We can't shoo him away. Trust me-I've tried countless times."

"I get what I want," Greed leaned back comfortably in his seat and closed his eyes. Clark's eyes nervously flitted back between Greed and me, unsure of this whole mission once again. I ignored his worried looks and continued thinking about Greed's first hint regarding makeup. Something to do with makeup? Poisonous makeup that can control your mind? Or maybe shift the way your face looks? That wouldn't be alchemy anymore, that would be magic. And magic doesn't exist.

As I recall back to that peaceful moment on the train with Greed napping, me thinking, and Clark being nervous, I remember having the thought to maybe leave Clark behind at one point instead of having him tag along. I wish I had gone through with that thought. I never knew what was going to happen to Clark in the future...and how much I would've regret having the newbie come along.


	13. Unknown

_Definitely the top most strangest thing to see in one's lifetime. It was the Furher and his ever loyal general at the small countryside town of Risembool - and they weren't here to see the once state alchemist's family. As if by cue, the pair noticed her with the buckets of water in her hands and made their way over to her. "Pardon the intrusion, miss," the Fuhrer apologized unnecessarily beforehand._

_The girl smiled in amusement, her long hair sweeping against her back as she gave a slight bow. "Why if it isn't the Fuhrer himself! What an honor for you to come visiting this small town...and for calling me out as well." She's been among normal people long enough to know how the normals react. Their smile, their nervous reactions to someone so important and powerful, their admiration gleaming in the eyes, and their overly acted out formalities. As she watched the pair with her light blue eyes, she realized that she though of the Fuhrer still more as the Flame Alchemist than the actual Fuhrer. After all, he already changed Amestris to no longer be a military state. His title was simply only a title by now._

_"Have you seen a girl?" the general pressed urgently._

_The girl bought her hand to her face. "A girl?" she tipped her head, "Well sure I have. I've seen a lot of girls. They go to markets. Some are customers for the automail and then some people are just taking a short break from a long train ride-"_

_"We're thinking of a particular girl," the Flame Alchemist interrupted._

_As the pair went into detailed explanations, the girl painted a picture in her mind. Black hair to the shoulders, most likely wearing fancier clothes but are still militaristic styled. Military boots, gloves, and most importantly a metal bracelet always clasped around her right wrist. As the picture defined itself more and more, the girl began to resemble the Flame Alchemist. The girl barely kept her realization suppressed. She shook her head and decided to tell the truth. "No, sir. I haven't seen a girl like that at all."_

_The two glanced at each other before the Flame Alchemist smiled pleasantly at her. "Thank you for your time." The girl paid special attention to his hands and smiled when she saw the famous ignition gloves donned. She couldn't help wondering why he still bothered having the transmutation circles drawn in. After all, he was one of the few who could use alchemy without a transmutation circle as he had been through the Portal of Truths and made it._

_The girl picked up her buckets of water again, making her way slowly back._

_"I want that girl interrogated."_

_"May I ask why, sir?"_

_"Her reactions are too perfect-too deliberate. The way her body was positioned, the tone she talked in, the look in her eyes. Every person has a unique way of expressing things, even if it's something as common as anxiousness. She's purposely acting out what 'normal' would look like. She's not quite natural. I think she's hiding something."_

_Oh bless her not so normal ears. Sometimes she couldn't help but be thankful for the fact that she was no longer human. Still...the girl hurried her way back, dropping the buckets of water where they needed to be. She dropped her hair into the sink, watching brown run off her hair like mud during a flood. She complained to herself constantly of the not permanent dye, always so easily washable. Now she was giddy with triumph. It made her return so much easier._

_"So the little angel of Amestris has gone missing," she singsonged, peering at herself in the mirror, "Oh it's so nice to see my natural hair color again." She affectionately grasped her thick white hair and the strange blue highlights that ran down. "But I might be confused as someone else now that I've gone back to my original image," she sighed, grasping a pair of scissors and snapping her hair from above the shoulder down all off. The girl moved her now breezy hair back and stared at the tattoo on the right side of her neck reflected in the mirror with an intensity of both hatred and love. "Time to get back to work."_


End file.
